Keyboards are one of the most common and popular types of user input devices for personal computers and other similar devices. A typical computer keyboard includes numerous keys that enable a user to enter a variety of information and inputs quickly, as well as various subsystems designed to convert keystrokes to electronic signals and deliver such signals to an associated computer. Modern keyboards can also include a number of extra features and improvements to facilitate user interaction. One such feature that has been found to be useful for many users is the ability to illuminate the keyboard and/or various keys thereof, such as for typing in conditions of low light or darkness.
In many instances, keyboards can be illuminated from above by a special light in darkness or low light conditions. For example, some laptop computers come equipped with a dedicated LED or other light that is located along the upper display frame, and that is directed toward lighting the keyboard when activated. In still other arrangements, illuminated keyboards can be equipped with a general backlight arrangement, with one or more illumination sources being located beneath the various keys. Such keyboards can include, for example, a number of LEDs spaced apart beneath the keys and arranged to distribute light upwards between keys, with suitable spacing between the keys being employed to facilitate such a result.
While convenient, both of the foregoing types of keyboard illumination do have various drawbacks. In the case of lighting from above, such lighting is subject to interfering objects, is often non-uniform, and can be less aesthetically pleasing than backlighting for many users. Although backlighting can often be more aesthetically pleasing, such arrangements typically require one or more illumination sources to be located beneath the various keys. Although this may not be an issue in some cases, the addition of such light sources does increase the thickness of the keyboard to some degree. In various applications where thin and sleek is desired, such as in newer laptop designs, for example, the addition of even a thin illumination backlighting layer to the computer keyboard can be somewhat detracting.
While many designs and techniques used with respect to illuminated keyboard assemblies have generally worked well in the past, there is always a desire to provide further designs and techniques for illuminated keyboards. In particular, what is desired are improved keyboard assemblies that provide for an aesthetic backlighting type illumination of the keyboard in low light conditions without sacrificing any thickness in the keyboard.